The present invention relates to a tamping mechanism and more particularly to an improved tamping mechanism for tamping the edges of a stack of sheets.
In present high-speed printing and paper assembling mechanisms, sheets of paper are fed at high speeds to an accumulating area where they are placed one on top of the other to form a stack. When the stack is complete (i.e. a predetermined number of sheets are accumulated) the stack is moved to other stations which perform other functions on the stack. It is important that the edges of the stack of sheets be straight and in alignment with each other so that when the stack of sheets move to another station, there will be no sheet with its edge protruding outside the edge of the stack. Hence, it is important to tamp the sheets edgewise on both edges after they are deposited on a stack. This will straighten out all the edges of a stack and move them into alignment with each other.